Rare world map found stuffed inside Scottish chimney

Construction workers have discovered a rare map stuffed inside a chimney to stop draughts while renovating a home in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The late 17th century wall map, produced by Dutch engraver Gerald Valck, was destined for the skip before somebody had second thoughts and donated it to the National Library of Scotland.

The map, which measures 2.2m by 1.6m, is one of only two known copies in existence.

Conservationists 'dry clean' the Gerald Valck map (Image: National Library of Scotland/Discover) ()The map looked like a bundle of rags when it arrived at the library (Image: National Library of Scotland/Discover) ()

It was rolled up in a plastic bag when it arrived at the library and "had to be handled extremely carefully as fragments of the map fell off like confetti every time it was moved."

"On closer examination, it became clear that the canvas backing on the map had survived better than much of the paper itself which had disintegrated in a number of places," conservationists wrote in the National Library of Scotland's Discover magazine.

The map was originally printed in eight separate sections and stuck to a linen backing.

A conservationist places a section of the map into a humidifying chamber (Image: National Library of Scotland/Discover) ()Facing was peeled off to reveal the detail of the cleaned sections (Image: National Library of Scotland/Discover) ()

Library conservationists placed the map in a humidification chamber to flatten it out and make the separate sections easier to work with.

"This is one of the most challenging tasks our conservation team has faced and they have done a terrific job. Although significant sections of the map have been lost, the remainder has been cleaned and stabilised for future study and enjoyment," National Librarian Dr John Scally said.

"It would have been very easy for this map to end up at the bottom of a skip but thankfully it can now take its place among the magnificent maps held within our collection."